The General Chat Thread

Faith

Alun wrote: »

Talking of rocket, if you have a garden, plant some wild rocket plants. Once established it grows like a weed and you'll never have to buy it again.

My rocket and mint never took off . I planted them out and they proceeded to pretty much die.

Also, hi Dublin foodies, I'm in your city right now

kenco

Faith wrote: »

My rocket and mint never took off . I planted them out and they proceeded to pretty much die.

Also, hi Dublin foodies, I'm in your city right now

Mint is an absolute b**tard of a herb to manage but oh so handy and tasty (home made mint sauce is unbeatable). Grow it in a large pot to keep it under control as previously stated it can take off and run wild!

Faith - rocket I find very hit and miss. If you get it going it can be great and tastes so much better than the shop stuff but its a lottery. Year before last I had tons of it and this year little or none. No rhyme or reason for the difference. Give it another go as if it works its hard to beat

Merkin

Mint is a tramp of a herb, it gets around!!

We have parsley, flat leaf parsley, thyme, chives, lemon verbena, coriander, basil, sage and rosemary so a great little supply throughout the year.

Alun

kenco wrote: »

Faith - rocket I find very hit and miss. If you get it going it can be great and tastes so much better than the shop stuff but its a lottery. Year before last I had tons of it and this year little or none. No rhyme or reason for the difference. Give it another go as if it works its hard to beat

Did you try wild rocket or the normal variety? The 'normal' stuff is a bit fragile I find but the wild variety just keeps coming back even stronger every year even after last year's cold winter. We even had to 'prune' ours this year to stop it taking over the rest of the herb garden

I have my mint in the garden, but planted inside a large bucket with the bottom cut out in a hole in the soil which helps stop it from spreading.

Talking of herbs, has anyone ever seen Lovage plants for sale anywhere in Ireland? I had one in Holland and loved it, but haven't seen it over here.

MissFlitworth

Faith wrote: »

Also, hi Dublin foodies, I'm in your city right now

<waves>

What brings you to Dublin?

Merkin

I bought Mr. Merkin chocolate earlier from a company called Nom Nom. 'Tis milk chocolate mixed with sea salt and chilli, he hated it and I think it's great so I've had to eat it to save face. Didn't think that flavour combo would appeal to me either but it was really yum, tickled lots of taste buds!

Lovely Bloke

Merkin wrote: »

I bought Mr. Merkin chocolate earlier from a company called Nom Nom. 'Tis milk chocolate mixed with sea salt and chilli, he hated it and I think it's great so I've had to eat it to save face. Didn't think that flavour combo would appeal to me either but it was really yum, tickled lots of taste buds!

Salt & Chocolate is a classic combo - don't say you've never had Malteaser + Popcorn in the cinema :eek:

Also, Chilli chocolate is bleedin gorgeous too.

Must seek out this NomNom stuff.

Faith

MissFlitworth wrote: »

<waves>

What brings you to Dublin?

IKEA! Been nagging at himself to come with me for months now, and he'd also promised me a trip to Dublin Zoo so we made a trip of it . Out last night for dinner (tapas at the market bar - delicious but crazy filling!) and then drinks with some friends.

Now it's breakfast time and then zoo time and then ikea!

Being in Dublin is hilarious for me. I walk around and I'm like "omg there's that Asian market they always talk about! There's that restaurant that always get recommended! There's that bar that the beers were at!"

hardCopy

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Also, Chilli chocolate is bleedin gorgeous too.

Chocolate Chilli Con Carne for me tonight :cool:

Hermione*

Faith wrote: »

My rocket and mint never took off . I planted them out and they proceeded to pretty much die.

Also, hi Dublin foodies, I'm in your city right now

Hi dear! Where are you going (or have gone) to eat? All about the restaurants, me! :pac:
I was the same in Cork this summer. SO excited to visit Cafe Idaho after all I'd read about it

TGIF. So looking forward to wines and apperitivi/ tapas after work! I have a new place in mind to try for either, once I can beg them to let me have a table.

Dizzyblonde

Hope you have a great weekend Faith

GalwayGuy2

Does anybody have any tips on how to use chilli powder?

Whenever I use it, it always ends up too spicy.

Merkin

Hermione* wrote: »

TGIF. So looking forward to wines and apperitivi/ tapas after work! I have a new place in mind to try for either, once I can beg them to let me have a table.

Where's that? I'm all about eating out too so love to hear of new places to try!

Lovely Bloke

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

Does anybody have any tips on how to use chilli powder?

Whenever I use it, it always ends up too spicy.

Put less in :P

Lovely Bloke

Also, the idea of making a trip up the country to visit Ikea sounds like a nightmare to me.

Alun

Visiting Ikea at all sounds like a nightmare to me. I've only been there once on a busy Saturday and part way round started to feel panicky and just had to run out as quickly as possible. It's never happened to me before, but I found the place just too claustrophobic, and no way of 'escaping' other than going the whole way round that I could see.

Lovely Bloke

Alun wrote: »

Visiting Ikea at all sounds like a nightmare to me. I've only been there once on a busy Saturday and part way round started to feel panicky and just had to run out as quickly as possible. It's never happened to me before, but I found the place just too claustrophobic, and no way of 'escaping' other than going the whole way round that I could see.

Correct, unless you know the staff shortcuts.

I had a relation who worked there, and he was able to open certain doors to let me easily and quickly get to the places I needed to be.

although my wife can enter the shop, head to the area where she knows her intended purchase is located, pick it up get to the till and be back in the car in 8 minutes!

dee_mc

Alun wrote: »

Visiting Ikea at all sounds like a nightmare to me. I've only been there once on a busy Saturday and part way round started to feel panicky and just had to run out as quickly as possible. It's never happened to me before, but I found the place just too claustrophobic, and no way of 'escaping' other than going the whole way round that I could see.

If you brave it again make sure you pick up one of their little maps with all the shortcuts marked on it. I find Ikea a bit horrific too but once you know your escape routes you're sorted!
Also, just made 3 fruit marmalade and it's amazing, if anyone wants the recipe I can link it later

Alun

dee_mc wrote: »

If you brave it again make sure you pick up one of their little maps with all the shortcuts marked on it. I find Ikea a bit horrific too but once you know your escape routes you're sorted!

Thanks for the tip, I didn't know you could get out without walking all the way to the end!

Johnny_Fontane

Pulled pork in the slow cooker at home, ready for tonight.

Currently awaiting my Falafel as I sit typing this from that new lebanese place called Umi on Dame street.

Life is good!

Merkin

Nyum, I love Lebanese food. Let us know what it's like!

The Black Oil

Currently have chicken marinating in chilli jam/sweet chilli...think I got the recipe from here.

Are beef tomatoes hard to find in supermarkets (Dublin region)?

Merkin

The Black Oil wrote: »

Are beef tomatoes hard to find in supermarkets (Dublin region)?

You can find them in pretty much any supermarket so you'll have no problem finding them.

MissFlitworth

Faith wrote: »

Being in Dublin is hilarious for me. I walk around and I'm like "omg there's that Asian market they always talk about! There's that restaurant that always get recommended! There's that bar that the beers were at!"

I was like that in Cork last Summer, I practically gave the English Market a hug.

Enjoy Ikea & the Zoo and anything that you eat and drink, love the zoo. Especially the new Griller area

@Alun - I can't deal with the showroom bit in Ikea at all. Always skip it and go straight down to the shop area and never go weekends. Tuesday nights are where it's at!

Faith

Thanks Miss F!

I can't believe that anyone could hate ikea. Yeah, it's not nice when it's crazy busy but get it when it's quiet enough and it's like heaven. There's so much cool stuff!!

Tom Dunne

Hi.

My name is Tom and I love Ikea.

Mr Simpson

I just go to Ikea for the food, I don't like the shopping bit

kenco

Go to the Interweb for Ikea.
Confirm in stock (and why again do we do this kenco....)
Find out the shelf reference for your gear.
Head in the front door.
Dont make eye contact (very important).
Swing left into the back of the checkouts.
Walk through same.
Pick up gear.
Walk to checkout.
Pay.
Leave.
Sit in car hyperventilating.
Drive to M50 with a scared though satisfied feeling.

Alun

You forgot "Swear at all the drivers hogging the middle lane all the way there and all the way home"

April O Neill

Mr Simpson wrote: »

I just go to Ikea for the food, I don't like the shopping bit

OK, this I don't get. The food is really average, bordering on kinda crap.